Much of teaching and learning involves nothing more than the rote memorization of facts, figures, and dates. Subjects which are amenable to such rote memorization includes the study of simple mathematics, the alphabet, counting, and spelling, as just a few examples. In each of these subject areas, the recognition of the need for repetition and memorization has spawned an entire industry of study aids designed to allow students to continuously practice the particular fact based area in which they are studying. For example, in the subject of mathematics, learning aids such as flash cards, times tables, dice games, and other such products have been developed to aid a student in memorizing the required relationships in rote fashion.
One such device which allows students to master the basic concepts of mathematics is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,571,019 issued to Wilson on Nov. 5, 1996, for an APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR TEACHING CONCEPTS OF MATHEMATICS. This reference describes the use of a ball having situated thereon certain mathematical problems and solutions framed by a certain colored geometric symbol. This device, as with the use of flash cards, allows a student to randomly receive a mathematical problem and solution for memorization. Unlike most flash cards, however, the Wilson '019 device also establishes certain relationships between the color, geometric symbol, and the type of mathematical problem contained therein.
Similar learning devices for the study of mathematics are marketed in the Spring 1998 edition of the Summit Learning Math Catalog, A Steck-Vaughn Co., under the name CLEVER CATCH for the subjects of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. However, the CLEVER CATCH balls do not appear to establish and maintain a fixed relationship between the geometric shape, color, and the type of mathematical problem contained therein. As with the Wilson '019 apparatus, however, these learning aids are limited to the rote memorization of mathematical facts.
While rote memorization of certain facts may be necessary to the proper educational development of our children, such techniques do not allow for the educational development of the whole child. Specifically, these techniques do not allow for the proper emotional development and development of creative thinking skills of a child. In fact, such rote memorization devices tend to stifle a child's creative development because they allow for no creative addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division, nor do they allow for synergism between components when adding numbers. With these devices, two plus two is always four, regardless how one feel about that answer. However, these are the only type of learning aid devices available.